Local SEO for Law Firms

A person looking for a solicitor searches for the work and the place: “family solicitor Truro” or “probate solicitor near me”. The firms that appear in the map pack and the first organic results get the call. Local SEO for law firms is the same craft as for any local business, with one difference: your regulator has rules about what your website and marketing must show and must not say. This page covers local SEO that stays inside them. It is not legal advice; check the SRA’s current guidance before you publish.

Publish Prices Where the Rules Require It

The SRA Transparency Rules require firms offering covered services to publish price information on their website. Covered services include residential conveyancing, probate, immigration, employment tribunals, motoring offences, debt recovery up to £100,000 and licensing. The price information should show the total cost or a range, the basis of the charges, disbursements, VAT, what is included and the key stages. It must be clear and prominent. The website must also show your complaints procedure, including the Legal Ombudsman and SRA routes.

This helps SEO as well as compliance. People search for “conveyancing costs” and “probate fees”. A clear price page answers that search, earns the click and gives Google a reason to rank you for it.

Show Your SRA Number and Digital Badge

The SRA says its number and the SRA digital badge must be displayed on your website. According to its digital badge Q&A, the badge has been mandatory since 25 November 2019, and you should use the SRA’s code, not a copied image. We build the badge and number into the site footer and the contact page, and keep your name, address and number identical across your Google Business Profile and directory listings.

Keep Every Claim Accurate

The SRA’s marketing guidance says publicity must be accurate and not misleading. That includes what you say about your chances of success, likely awards, client feedback and credentials. “No win, no fee” must be clearly explained. The guidance also says firms stay responsible for material produced by third parties they engage, which includes SEO agencies.

In practice that shapes how we work:

• No “we always win” or guaranteed outcomes on any page.
• Credentials and awards only where you can show them.
• Client feedback only where it is genuine and you can evidence it.
• Every page goes to you for approval before it is published.

The Local SEO Work Itself

Away from the rules, the work is the same as for any local firm.

• Google Business Profile. Set the right primary category, list your services and practice areas, and keep your hours and contact details accurate. See our Google Business Profile guide.
• Service and town pages. One page per practice area and town you serve, written for the question the client is asking, not for a keyword.
• Reviews. A steady flow of genuine reviews, asked for at the right time.
• Consistent details. The same name, address and phone number everywhere.

Our local SEO services page explains each part.

How Local Search Works for a Law Firm

Google shows a map with a short list of businesses above the normal results for local searches. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity. You cannot change your distance, but you can work on the other two. Relevance comes from choosing the right categories, listing every practice area, and writing a clear page for each. Popularity comes from genuine reviews and consistent details across the web.

For a firm, that usually means separate pages for each practice area rather than one page listing everything. A page on probate, a page on conveyancing and a page on employment law each answer a different search. Each page can carry its own price information where the Transparency Rules apply, which keeps compliance and SEO in the same place.

Pages Every Law Firm Site Needs

• A page for each practice area, with the price information for covered services.
• A page for each office or town you serve, with the address, hours and a map.
• A complaints page that names the Legal Ombudsman and SRA routes.
• A team page showing each person’s role and, where relevant, their credentials.
• A contact page with the SRA number and digital badge visible.

Keep these pages current. A price page that is out of date is both a compliance problem and a trust problem.

Reviews and Testimonials: the Rules

Fake reviews are now banned. The ban came into force on 6 April 2025 (commencement order). It covers submitting or commissioning fake reviews, and hiding the fact that a review was incentivised (Schedule 20 of the Act). The CMA can fine up to 10% of global turnover, according to its announcement of the new regime. If an SEO agency offers to “get you reviews” for a fee, walk away.

The advertising rules point the same way. Under the CAP Code you must hold evidence that a testimonial is genuine, and you must make clear when reviews were incentivised.

Google’s own policy says you must not offer incentives for reviews, but sending customers a review link or a QR code is allowed (Google Business Profile Help).

What to Do Next

Check the regulator’s current guidance, then audit your own site against the list above: prices, complaints procedure, SRA number, badge, and claims. Fix what is missing, then build the profile, pages and reviews on top. See all industries we write for.